Presidential office: Polish military action in Syria 'out of the question'
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
16.02.2016 10:08
Secretary of State at the President's Chancellery Krzysztof Szczerski has said that Polish military action in Syria has been ruled out, in spite of clearance for four Polish fighter jets to patrol Syrian airspace.
Photo: Krzysztof Szczerski. Wikimedia Commons/Adrian Grycuk
“It is out of the question that Poland joins the war in any capacity,” Szczerski said in an interview with public broadcaster TVP.
However, he simultaneously confirmed an earlier announcement that four F-16 fighter planes could be sent to Syria.
Szczerski insisted that the prospective operation in Syria would only be for the purposes of training and patrolling.
“It is a signal to our allies that we are co-responsible for the security of the whole of Europe,” he said.
“It has nothing to do with sending troops,” he added.
Poland's NATO allies the US, the UK and France have been engaged in airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Syria.
Paweł Soloch, the head of Poland’s National Security Bureau, said on Monday morning regarding the prospective F-16 operation that “we expect the same solidarity on eastern issues,” referring to Poland’s calls for a beefed-up NATO presence on the eastern flank of the military alliance. (nh/pk)